Preview: Lions' Run Game Key to Setting Tone Against Packers

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers will square off in Week 1, with the winner setting an early tone for the 2025 regular season.

Bill Huber is a Packers beat reporter who covers the team for Green Bay Packers OnSI. He answered five questions from Detroit Lions OnSI to preview Sunday's game.

1.) What does the Micah Parsons trade say about the Packers' outlook for the 2025 season? How does he impact the team immediately and long-term?

Bill Huber: The trade of Micah Parsons for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark is an indication of a few things:

First, the pass rush that wasn’t good enough last season wasn’t going to be good enough again. No surprise there; the only additions to last year’s lackluster crew were two Day 3 draft picks who are at the bottom of the depth chart.

Parsons, who ranks fifth in the NFL in sacks, quarterback hits and tackles for losses during his four-year career, is a one-man pass rush. He’s one of the best in the NFL, right up there alongside the likes of T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett and Aidan Hutchinson. As an added bonus, Parsons’ presence means Rashan Gary might never see another double-team block the rest of his Green Bay career.

Second, it’s an indication the pass defense, in general, wasn’t going to be good enough with Jared Goff, Jayden Daniels, Dak Prescott and Joe Burrow being the opposing quarterbacks in the first five games alone.

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, a pass rush is a cornerback’s best friend. Nobody would consider Green Bay’s top cornerbacks, projected starters Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs, top backup Carrington Valentine and nickel Javon Bullard, to include a true stopper capable of taking away Amon-Ra St. Brown and the gauntlet of receivers on the schedule. Parsons should make their jobs easier.

Third, it’s an indication, most importantly, that the Packers are ready to contend for a Super Bowl. Last season, they finished 11-6 but went a combined 0-6 against the Lions, Vikings and Eagles (including playoffs). So, Green Bay was a good team but more pretender than contender. If Jordan Love is who the Packers believe he is and Parsons becomes that field-tilting defensive weapon the team has lacked for years, there’s no reason why Green Bay shouldn’t be playing deep into January or possibly February.

Contractually, including the fifth-year extension that Dallas triggered, Parsons is tied to Green Bay for five seasons. Cap-wise, before the real financial pain strikes. That’ll be important in keeping the NFL’s youngest team together beyond their rookie contracts.

2.) What will the team be missing in Kenny Clark?

Huber: Any team with a strong interior offensive line should just run it up the gut on first and second down and maybe do it again on third down.

Last season, the Packers finished third in yards allowed per carry with Clark and TJ Slaton starting all 17 games together at defensive tackle. Neither are with the team anymore, with Slaton signing with the Bengals in free agency and Clark being the player the Cowboys coveted.

Clark was staring at his 30th birthday and was coming off a down season. Still, he was the best run-stopper at the position. Now what?

The new-look group is led by Devonte Wyatt, who was a first-round pick in 2022 and will get a big payday because of his ability to get after the quarterback. The initial depth chart says he will start alongside former fourth-round pick Colby Wooden, who was a healthy scratch to start last season. The group is rounded out by former sixth-round pick Karl Brooks, 2025 sixth-round pick Warren Brinson and 2025 undrafted free agent Nazir Stackhouse. Combined, those five players have six NFL starts.

Fortunately for the Packers, the linebackers are really good, but the run defense is a huge question mark entering the season.

3.) How is Jordan Love meshing with rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden? What are your initial impressions of the rookie wideout and how much of a threat is he to the Lions' defense?

Huber: The Packers hadn’t drafted a receiver in the first round since 2002. After last year’s group fell short of expectations, Golden broke the drought.

Golden’s really good. Around here, the most recognizable three-digit numbers are 920 (for the area code) and 4.29 (for Golden’s speed in the 40). It’s not just that Golden is fast, which he is. It’s that the speed is combined with excellent route-running ability to routinely get open. We got to watch five offseason practices and almost 20 training camp practices. Golden dropped one pass.

Everyone loves talking about No. 1 receivers. I don’t know if Golden will be a No. 1 by the textbook definition. There are just too many weapons who need the ball, including tight end Tucker Kraft, who will be a bigger part of the offense after ranking among the position leaders in yards, yards per catch and touchdowns despite ranking only 18th in targets last year. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s Green Bay’s No. 1 target by the end of the season.

4.) What are your matchups to watch on both sides of the ball?

Huber: It’s not exactly the immovable object vs. the irresistible force, but I want to see how Green Bay is going to stop the run. The Lions’ interior trio up front seems just about as suspect as Green Bay’s defensive interior, but, obviously, Detroit’s tandem in the backfield is about as good as it gets. So, can Green Bay stop them from rushing 175 yards and rendering the pass rush null and void?

We’re about 860 words into this thing and I haven’t given more than a passing mention to Jordan Love. It all starts with him. He was elite during the second half of 2023 but mediocre throughout an injury-plagued 2024. The Packers are paying him $55 million to be the next great quarterback. Coming off mid-camp surgery on his left thumb, I’ll be interested to see how sharp he is against a formidable defense.

Who wins and why?

Huber: I picked Detroit a couple weeks ago. Dan Campbell has won six of the last seven against the Packers, including his last three trips to Lambeau Field. How on earth were the Packers going to stop Jared Goff throwing to Amon-Ra St. Brown and the rest of his passing-game weapons?

The acquisition of Parsons just can’t be overstated, whether it’s the play-to-play presence impacting the decision-making of the offensive coordinator and the quarterback or the game-changing third-down sack.

That said, Love might not be in a groove after injuring his thumb in the first preseason game, and Parsons after sitting out all of training camp isn’t ready for 50 snaps per game. Plus, he’s got to learn defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme, Hafley needs to learn how to maximize Parsons’ talents and everyone else on the defense will have to adjust to Hafley’s adjustments.

So, I’ll go Detroit.

More from Lions OnSI: